


Mourn Me

by Madilayn



Series: Prompt Fics [17]
Category: Thunderbirdds, thunderbirds are go
Genre: Gen, Prompt Fic, Tumblr Prompt, Val Casey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 10:53:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6655117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madilayn/pseuds/Madilayn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How we mourn a loved one can be very different for each person.  And sometimes, that mourning can continue for years after the loss.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Scribbles97](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribbles97/gifts).



> Part of a Tumblr prompt - Mourn me - Lucille Tracy and Colonel Casey.
> 
> For this I am going with an idea that Scribbles alluded to in one of her rp posts that Lucy died only a few years ago and that IR was establishing itself. In her mind, Lucy is as talented an engineer as Jeff, Brains or Virgil

Space Operations licenses weren’t given out often. There was usually only 100 or so a year – and that included the renewals. And because she had a personal interest in those who went into space, Colonel Val Casey always undertook personally the liaison with the World Space Agency for signing off on them.

Then again, the Head of the WSO had the same vested interest, and knew why Casey took a personal interest, so was very happy to have her involved.

He knew that this brand new one would be especially meaningful for her. It had been for him as well. He slid over the licence to be signed and watched her face break from its usual stoic look. It softened and a broad smile grew as her finger reached out and gently touched the name of Alan Tracy.

As she picked up the pen and signed, he ignored the tears that filled her eyes, because he knew the reason for that as well. 

“Would you like to deliver this one personally,” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes. Yes I would. Has John Tracy been informed?”

“Nope. Thought you’d like to do that as well.”

“Thank you. I would.” She sighed. “He’s not a little boy any more.”

“He is. He’s just younger than most to have this. I had to make a special allowance, but considering who trained him, and why it’s going to be used, I didn’t have a problem. Anyway – that’s the last of them.”

Casey stood. “Thank you. See you again in three months for the next batch?”

“Yup. How about I come visit you next time.”

“If you like. I can promise London will probably be wet and dreary. Not like here.”

“Ahh – but it lets me take my wife to London and Paris for a few days leave. And that puts me in her good books.”

“You’re a very wise man,” Casey said grinning. “Let me know if you want any clout in getting reservations for anything. I have channels I can go through.” She shook his hand again and left the office, managing to reach her car before letting the tears fall.

“Oh god, Lucy…. Your baby is not a baby any more,” she whispered. On an impulse, she checked out of her hotel and drove to the airfield at Cape and took off in her jet.


	2. Chapter 2

The air was shimmery with heat haze when she landed, and she finished her shutdown procedures and flight checks as quickly as possible, heading for the small building that was both terminal and offices. 

This particular town in Kansas only had an airport facility like this because of the Tracy family, but she was thankful that Jeff had wanted an airfield closer to their Kansas base.  Another instance where his money had done good. 

As she entered the air conditioned terminal she greeted the only occupant.  “Afternoon Henry.  Is one of the cars available?  I’m going out to the farm.”

“Yeah, Colonel.  There’s one there.  Funny thing, though, I coulda sworn it had been used a couple weeks ago.  There was some mud on it when I did a check.  Thought mebbee one of the family had slipped in and I missed them.  But nothing in the logs.”

Her heart sped up.  “Really?  Nothing?”

“Nope.  Not from the family at least.  Had an emergency landing from another craft – old hunk of junk it was.  Strange sort of fella flying it too.   Seemed to know his way around here.”

“Did he give a name?  I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”

“Hang on – I’ve got it here…  Yeah.  Wally Armstrong.  All the ID checked out, but I still got the feeling I shoulda known him.”

Val’s heart was pounding.  _Wally Armstrong_.  Far too much of a coincidence.  However… “Henry, get all the information and confirmations you have about him will you.  I’ll take copies with me when I go – probably tomorrow.  Or the next day.”  A cloud passed her face. 

“Sure thing, Colonel.”  Henry looked compassionately at her.  He could guess why she was here, and knew that it could go two ways – she would leave early in the afternoon of the next day, or stay until the day after.  He hoped it was the latter – if she stayed, then it meant that her reason for being here would have helped her to bring some peace, not renewed grief.

.


	3. Chapter 3

She wasn’t surprised when she finished her walk up to the simple fenced off area that contained the Tracy Family graves to find him there. In fact, it had confirmed a conversation that she and his mother had had a couple of months before his disappearance. 

He looked older. Greyer – not just his hair but his whole person. That vital spark that made Jeff Tracy who he was seemed to be flickering away. He was seated before Lucy’s headstone, fingers on the embedded photo of her. An empty bottle was on the ground next to him, and it looked like he hadn’t shaved in days.

“Jeff.” He looked up at her, eyes red rimmed and face tear streaked. 

“How could she leave me, Val? How could she leave the boys and me to try to go on without her? I can’t do it. Not anymore.”

She sank down next to him and put her arm around his shoulders, resting her head against his. “I’m sorry, Jeff. Why didn’t you talk to me? Or Lee? Or even your mother. Especially your mother – she’s been worried about you. So have I, but you were avoiding me.”

“I’m avoiding everybody, Val. I can’t do it any more. I don’t want to do this without her. I tried. For five years, I’ve been trying. But nothing works. Not booze. Not drugs. Not even other women. Nothing makes me forget her.”

Val just held him tighter. She remembered the first twelve months after Lucy had died. Jeff had retreated to the mainland, to the main offices of Tracy Industries in New York. It had been then that Jeff’s mother had moved permanently to the Island. Hugh Creighton-Ward, at that time the Head of the GDF, had delayed his retirement so that she and Lee Taylor could do double duty of running International Rescue and keeping an eye on Jeff.

“Why should you forget her, Jeff? She was the woman you loved. You had five children with her. You started firstly Tracy Industries and then International Rescue with her. Hell, you fought in a war with her. And Lucy would want you to move on – not forget her.” Val looked at the headstone and reached out and caressed it.

“None of us could ever forget Lucy. She isn’t a person you can forget. You aren’t the only person who loved her, who mourns her. Who wishes that she hadn’t been killed in that typhoon. Every single day, I go through and wonder what else we could have done. How we could have stopped that line breaking. How could we have rescued all those people, but lost one of our own.”

“Why are you here Val. How did you find me?” His voice was weary and he pulled away from her.

“I wasn’t actually looking for you. But the name you gave tipped me off. And then I could see that you are living at the house. I could smell your cigars. And the bottles of scotch also give you away. Thank god you walked up here, and didn’t try to drive.”

“So why are you here.”

“To see Lucy,” she said simply. “I try to come at least once a month. Like I said – I miss her too. I’ve been at Cape Canaveral. I have news I know she’d be thrilled about. And you as well.”

He looked up. “Oh?”

Val reached out and touched the photograph in her turn. “Alan’s passed his Space Operations Licencing tests.” Out of the inside of her tunic she took the envelope and took out the certificate. “See, Lucy! Your baby is a fully qualified Astronaut. Officially the youngest person ever to get this. You should be so proud of him. Both of you. And you should be proud of John as well – he’s the one who coached him and really got him over the line.”

She drew a shuddering breath – almost forgetting Jeff’s presence, lost in her own discussion with the woman who had been almost closer than a sister to her. “Oh Lucy – your boys. You would be so proud of them. They’re all stepping up to do what is needed. But they miss you. And now that Jeff’s disappeared on them, they miss you and him even more.”

Val had truly forgotten Jeff was there, and she had curled up next to the headstone. “Scotty’s trying so hard to be father and mother, Commander of IR, big brother, and head of Tracy Industries. But it’s taking its toll on him. He doesn’t laugh as much as he used to. He’s going grey, Luce. And I know he’s not sleeping.

“Virgil has almost stopped playing piano and painting. Scott’s keeping an eye on his younger brothers. Virgil’s keeping an eye on Scott. John… Lucy your space baby won’t come home for longer than 24 hours at a time. He’s holed up in Thunderbird Five and its months since I’ve even see him smile. Really smile. You know how he does. 

“Gordon… Lucy, Gordon’s fallen in love. But he’s not grown from the Gordon he was when you died. On rescues, we see the real Gordon, but otherwise, he behaves as if he was Alan’s age. And when he is grown up, you would be even prouder of him than you already were.”

Val’s head laid on the headstone and she didn’t pretend to hide the tears. “Lee’s back on the Moon. He won’t come back. And I’m terrified because I’ve run out of budget to keep that damn base going and the World Space Agency have decided to mothball it. And I miss you. I miss laughing with you. I miss the times we would curl up together and talk all night. And I can’t forgive myself because I was at the other end of that line and should have seen that it wasn’t going to hold sooner than I did. I shouldn’t have let you go down on it.” 

Her voice broke, and Val just broke down crying. She felt another presence there and she and Jeff held each other tight as they both cried; mourning the woman who had been taken too soon, whose broken body was now lain in the earth beneath them.


End file.
